The voices of the three fallen heroes hummed in the air, a soft reverberation that seemed to shake the very space around us. Then, Solcius spoke, his voice filled with both authority and warmth, “To you, brave farmer who gives righteousness unto your children, I bequeath my light!”

In Fable: The Journey, a group called the Enlightened forged special, unremovable gauntlets based on the Hero of Brightwall to house their power. But here, there was no need for such a device. The heroes were not giving their power to an object that held their magic. No, this power flowed directly from them, being transferred from one being to another, a personal act of bequeathing Will itself. The power would be theirs.

“A real man would die protecting their children! I give you my might and my fire!” Holdr’s voice rang out, full of strength and passion. A knight and fire mage who had once tamed a dragon as his mount, Holdr’s admiration for my father was evident. He had clearly taken a special liking to him.

Delfe, or Stone, was a more complex case, just as I had suspected. Delfe was both a hero and, at times, a villain. In her earlier years, she had used her gifts selfishly, but by the time of the final battle with the Crawler at the Spire, she had changed. In truth, she had likely been a free spirit who followed her own sense of right and wrong, without regard to others' expectations. Her voice, now, was less certain than the others, almost casual, “I give the man nothing but this Heroine... I’ll give her my magic.”

A collective sigh echoed through the air, followed by a chorus of groans from Solcius and Holdr. It seemed that even after all this time, they couldn’t quite get used to Delfe’s unpredictable nature.

The magic above my parents began to glow, swirling with vibrant colors, before it descended, wrapping around them like an embrace. Scarlett and Brom floated gently into the air as the lights of their newfound powers touched them. Scarlett’s face contorted in pain, her teeth gritted as she tried to hold back a scream. Brom, on the other hand, was less successful. His agonized yell echoed through the courtyard as the lights blazed around them, obscuring our vision.

When the light finally dimmed, Brom remained suspended in the air, transformed. What had once been a man of strength was now a hulking figure, the embodiment of raw power.

Scarlett, too, was transformed. The Will energy she had long lacked now coursed through her, visible in the blue lines that traced her skin. Before, she had been more of a hero of might, with little magical ability. But now, with Delfe’s gift, she was a hero of magic, though what powers Delfe had possessed remained a mystery. No Fable games had ever mentioned them, but I guessed she at least possessed Stone-based magic, like her name implied.

The voices spoke once again, unified, “To you, great Heroine, take Avo’s Tear.”

The magical white blade appeared, hovering in the air, and then descended into Scarlett’s hands. She held it reverently, cradling it as if it were a newborn. “Thank you, heroes of old. I will use it for the greater good,” she said solemnly, swearing an oath that echoed through the whole area.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“We wish you success in your endeavors. Against this evil, failure is not an option,” they said, their voices fading into the air until all their presence was gone. With their powers dispensed, they were truly gone.

I glanced around. “Where’s Theresa?”

“She got some letter from a friend of hers,” Scarlett replied with a shrug.

A chill ran up my spine. Most of the kids here either hated Theresa or saw her as a rival. I darted back to the room where Theresa, Whisper, and I had been staying. Whisper was sitting on her bed, looking bored. I was surprised to see her awake at this hour, but with Theresa and me gone and it being the night before a rest day, I could understand why.

“Whisper, have you seen Theresa?” I asked hurriedly.

She glanced up, pouting. “She went off to see Briar Rose. She got a note from her. Sounds like a challenge to me.” She pointed to a folded piece of paper on Theresa’s bed.

I snatched it up and read it aloud, “Theresa, meet me at the pond in the woods around midnight.” It sounded like a duel challenge. Both Theresa and Briar Rose were talented in skill-based combat magic, but Theresa, an archer, had a huge disadvantage against Briar Rose, a swordswoman.

“Midnight is now,” I muttered, already moving to leave.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Whisper demanded, standing up and crossing her arms.

I glared at her. “To make sure Theresa is safe.”

“The Guild Master said we all have to go to bed and stay in tonight!” she snapped back.

“He gave us a pass. My family’s part of Maze’s magic experiments,” I answered smoothly.

“I don’t believe you,” she shot back, her suspicion clear.

“I don’t care what you believe,” I retorted, stopping time just long enough to sprint out of the room and out the back of the Guild.

I dashed into the woods, then slowed to a stalk, listening intently for any sounds of a fight. But what I saw froze me in place. Theresa and Briar Rose were sitting side by side by the pond, holding hands, watching fireflies in a moment of quiet peace. A few things I’d never noticed flashed through my memory. Briar Rose had always worn an All-seeing Eye tattoo on her shoulder, in the same place Theresa had a Briar-covered Rose tattoo. Theresa had the Eye tattoo on her forehead, but because she had lost her eyes. The two had never met before, but I had never noticed the deeper connection between them. Fate, in the other timeline, had kept them apart. Now, here they were—both still children in their own right, but matured far beyond their years.

Seeing them together was unexpectedly sweet.

I took one last look at the scene and whispered, “Good for you, sis,” before turning and walking away, leaving them to their peaceful moment.